From: utzoo!watmath!djhawley
Newsgroups: net.religion
Title: Re: biblical laws - (nf)
Article-I.D.: watmath.4781
Posted: Sun Mar 27 01:54:38 1983
Received: Sun Mar 27 07:22:48 1983
References: zehntel.892


Yes, there is a stock answer. Israel was a 'national believer' versus
an 'individual believer', ie God chose Israel as a nation to follow Him,
hence the form of government was THEOCRACY ( supposed to mean
rule by God ). Israel was to be held up as God's people, a revelation
if you will of God's character to other nations.

What was law for this unique case, while illustrating what God desires
( ie sexual fidelity, to answer your example ), does not necessarily
work out to the same sanctions in our society.
This is clearly pointed out in the New Testament by :
   1) Christ's prerogative over the Sabbath laws
   2) St. Paul's statements on Christian liberty
      ( christians are free to observe the spirit of the law,
        not necessarily the letter. This is *not* a weasel !
        Just consider the Sermon on the Mount, which shows the
        spirit of the law to be multi-mega-stronger than the letter )
   3) The early churches recognition that christians were not bound
      by Jewish ceremonial law


Hope this was helpful.


      David ( all-niter ) Hawley